Apparatus for playing a game of skill



2 sheets-sheet /NVE/vro/e, HOE@ ca L E: Acf/ April 25, 1939. H. LEACH y APARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME 0F SKILL Filed May 10, 1938 @n mw www April 25, 1939. LEACH 2,155,794

v APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME 0F SKILL Filed May 1o, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 24 /NVE/Jv Toe, HOQH ci, L E HCH Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Horace Leach, Torquay, England Application May 10, 1938, Serial No. 207,097 In Great Britain March 3, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for playing a game of skill of the kind in which a plurality of models (e. g. racehorses, ships, aeroplanes,

road vehicles etc.) are movable over the surface model to reach a winning point before those of other players. Apparatus of this kind is invariably coin-controlled, the apparatus either retaining the coin or coins inserted therein for releasing the control mechanisms or else returning a variable part of the money inserted or a prize of Xed value delivered in the form of money or of goods. Q

Broadly, the invention comprises a plurality of bladed rotors, each adapted to be independently operated by a stream of fluid (e. g. air) l issuing from a nozzle at a rate of discharge dependent on the skill of the player, a plurality of models movable over a field or platform, ilexible connections extending between the models and a plurality of operating units, and control means adapted to establish driving connection between the bladed rotors and the operating units as a result of coin insertion.

The air stream may be delivered in impulses by rapidly pressing a rubber bulb, or jets of air or water may be delivered intermittently by the action of a small pump operated by the player. Preferably, each operating unit consists of a spool around which may be wound a exible cord attached by its outer end to one ofthe models r on the platform and toothed gearing interposed between the spool and the bladed rotor, whilst the control means preferably consists of a pawl and ratchet device associated with the cord spool and l operable through the agency of an electromagnet which is energised only as the result of the insertion of a coin into the machine.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings from a starting point at the front end of the cabinet toward a whining post or home at the rear end of the cabinet by means of a cord 5 whch is rolled up around a spool 6 as the spool rotates, as hereinafter more particularly described. For the purpose of returning the models 4 to the starting point, irrespective of their respective positions along the track 3 two endless chains 'I are provided, one along each long side oi the cabinet, the chains being supported by front and rear pairs of sprocket wheels 8, 9. EX- tending between the two chains 'I is a transverse drawbar Il which normally remains stationary at the home or rear end of the platform 2, and always in fro-nt of the models 4. The front sprockets 8 are carried by a common transverse spindle II upon which is xed a crown or bevel wheel I2 with which is adapted to mesh a bevel pinion I3 mounted on the lower end of a vertical spindle I4. The upper end of the spindle I4, which projects up through an opening in the cabinet top is surmounted by a handwheel I5 by means of which the bevel pinion I3 can be rotated, so as to impart a rotary motion to the front sprockets 8, thereby moving the chains I and pulling the drawbar I towards the front of the cabinet. As it moves the drawbar I 0 contacts with the models 4 and slides them all back to the starting end, the cords 5 freely unwinding from the spools E. Normally the bevel pinion I3 is held out of engagement with the crown wheel I2 by a coil spring I 6 interposed between a supporting bracket I1 and the underside of the cabinet top, the pressure of the hand upon the hand-wheel when turning same depressing the pnion I3 into mesh with the crown wheel I2. The model-returning mechanism is accommodated in a transverse compartment I8 at the front end of the cabinet. The transverse spindle 3 is encircled by a coil spring I9 which is coiled up and thus tensioned as the spindle 8 is rotated to eifect the return of the models 4, but when the pressure of the hand isremoved from the handwheel the spring I9 uncoils itself and rotates the spindle 8 in the opposite direction thereby moving the chains I and returning the drawbar III to its normal position. This reverse movement is not transmitted to the handwheel I5 since the coil spring IS has elevated same with its vertical spindle I4 to disengage the bevel pinion I3 from the crown wheel I2.

The models 4 are separately moved from the starting end toward the home end by the individual players by pneumatic means, which consist of a plurality of rubber handbulbs 20, one

for each model, which when pressed by players hand delivers a quantity of air through a nozzleend tube 2l on to a set of blades 22 provided on a rotor or disc 23 which is mechanically connected to the spool 6 carrying the winding cord 5. The player who is able to press his hand bulb 20 most rapidly in succession produces the most speedy rotary movement of the appropriate bladed rotor 23 and accordingly succeeds in rst advancing his model 4 to the home end of the platform.

The mechanical connection between each bladed rotor 23 and its complementary cord spool 6 consists of a toothed pinion 24 xed to the rotor 23, which is constantly in mesh with a spur wheel 25 alongside of which is rotatably mounted a ratchet wheel 26. The ybladed rotors 23 with their pinions 24 are mounted on a common transverse spindle 21 and the spur wheels 25 are mounted on another common transverse spindle 28, the spindles 21, 28 being parallel to one another. Each spur wheel 25 carries a springy blade 29 which presses with sufficient tension on the teeth of the ratchet wheel 26 as to transmit the rotary motion of the former to the latter. The ratchet wheel 26 however is normally held against rotation by a pawl 30 carried by a lever 3| pivotally mounted on the spindle 21, the said pawl 3B co-operating with a companio-n ratchet wheel 32, the cord spool 6 being interposed between the pair of ratchet Wheels 26 and 32. 'Ihe arrang-ement is such that until the mechanism has been coin-freed, as hereinafter more particularly described, the pressing of the handbulb 20 with consequent rotation of the bladed rotor 23, pinion 24 and spur wheel 25 does not impart a cord- Winding movement to the spool 6. The pawl 30 is disengaged from its ratchet wheel 32 by the pivoting of the lever 3l which is effected when an armature block 33 on one end of the lever 3l is attracted by an electromagnet 34. One of these electromagnets 34 is energised each time a coin is inserted into the apparatus. As the lever 3| pivots in response to the attraction of its one end toward the electromagnet 34 the other end of the lever 3l is swung up beyond a detent 35 which is pivotally carried by a spindle 36 and normally rests against the lower end of the lever 3l. The freed detent 35 swings down to rest upon a stop 31 and remains in this position, preventing re-engagement of the pawl 30 with the ratchet wheel 32 until such time as an electromagnet 38 which is common to all units attracts an armature piece 39 carried by an arm 40 suspended from the spindle 36. The electromagnet 38 is energised by the rst model 4 to reach the home end of the platform, by means of a pair of stud contacts 4I provided for each model and which are bridged by the Winning model, a lamp 42 in circuit with the electromagnet 38 being simultaneously lighted to indicate the winning model 4. As soo-n as the electromagnet 38 is excited it attracts the armature piece 39 of the suspended arm 4U and swings the detents 35 out from below the pivoted levers 3| so as to allow the pawls 30 to engage the ratchet Wheels 32 and thus prevent any further advance. of the models 4 which have not reached the home ends of their tracks 3 The electromagnets 34 which release the units as each coin is inserted are energized by means of any suitable control mechanism, not forming part of the present invention.

For example the prize coins on insertion may each progressively move a control member which cannot be operated to an extent sufficient to effect delivery of the prize until the winning model completes an electric releasing circuit which latter cannot be closed until another coin, additional to the prize coins, has been inserted. The prize may be in the nature of goods of a value dependent upon the number of prize coins inserted or may consist of the prize coins themselves.

Instead of operating the chains 1 by the handdriven gear a reversible electric motor, automatically controlled, may be employed.

I claim:-

1. In a game apparatus of the type including a platform having a plurality of tracks with models slidably guided therein, means for actuating each of said models independently of the other, said means including a shaft, a spool on said shaft, a flexible connection between the spool and one of the models, a ratchet wheel on the spool, a spur gear mounted to turn on said shaft adjacent the ratchet, a spring pawl on the gear and arranged to engage the ratchet on the -spool to cause said spool to wind the flexible connection thereon, a manually operated wind-actuated rotor geared to said spur wheel for actuating the models through the drum and the flexible connection therebetween, an electrically operated rockably mounted pawl for locking and releasing said ratchet wheel against unauthorized movement, and means for resetting the models to starting position.

2. In a game apparatus of the type' including a platform having a plurality of tracks With models slidably guided therein, means for actuating each oi said models independently of the other, said means including ashaft, a spool on said shaft, a ilexible connection between the spool and one of the models, a ratchet wheel on the spool, a spur gear mounted to turn on said shaft adjacent the ratchet, a spring pawl on the gear and arranged to engage the ratchet on the spool to cause said spool to wind the flexible con-A nection thereon, a manually operated wind-actuated rotor geared to said spur wheel for actuating the models through the drum and the exible connection therebetween, an electrically operated pivoted pawl for locking and releasing said ratchet wheel against unauthorized movement; means for controlling said pivoted pawl, including a restraining pawl for maintaining said pivoted pawl temporarily in ratchet releasing position, an electro magnetically controlled shaft having means common to all of the coin-controlled pawls for releasing them simultaneously to lock all of the ratchets, a circuit closer for each track operated by the first model to reach the end of its course in a given track for controlling said electro magnetically controlled shaft, and means for resetting the models to starting position.

3. In a game apparatus of the type including a platform having a plurality of tracks with models slidably guided therein, means for selectivelyiactuating the models in their respective tracks, means for automatically stopping all of the models at their respective positions in their respective tracks when one model rst reaches the end of the track, and means for resetting the models to starting position regardless of where they have stopped in the tracks, said means including spaced shafts, sprocket wheels at the ends of each shaft, endless chains on said sprocket wheels, a resetting bar arranged transversely of the tracks, and normally positioned at the destination end of said tracks. said bar carried by said chains, a spring coiled toone of said shafts and connected thereto, and handoperated means releasably connected to the other of said shafts for imparting movement thereto when connected and to in turn impart movement to the other shaft through the sprocket and chain connections to move the resetting bar .toward starting position and store energy in said spring, whereby when the hand-operated means is released the spring energy will operate the sprocket and. chain connections tof return the resetting bar to normal position.

- HORACE LEACH. 

